Car-coupling



model.

J. E. MURPHY.

GAR COUPLING. v No. 259,417. Patented June 13, 1882.

NITED STATES ATENT Fricn.

JAMES E. MURPHY, OF PORT JERVIS, NEW YORK.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 259,417, dated June 13, 1882.

Application filed February 6, 1882.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES E. MURPHY, of Port-Jervis, Orange county, in the State of New York, have invented a new and useful Gar-Coupler, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

The nature and object of my invention consist of the construction and arrangement of a car-coupler, as will be hereinafter more fully described.

In the annexed drawings, Figure 1 is a detail under section of my improved car-coupler, taken through the lines a a in Fig. 3. Fig. 2 is the reverse or under surface of the detail section in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 represents one of the external lateral sides of my improved oarcoupler, with the detail under section in Fig. 1 secured by bolts to a flat plate or cover having the same exterior lines as shown in Fig. 2, with braces, and represent the ordinary draw-head usually attached to railroad-cars.

Within the draw-head A, Fig. 1,1 place the metallic bars B B, with books 0 O, the rear ends of the bars overlapped and halved to each other and pivoted to or bolted through the draw-head A at the pin-hole X, as shown in Fig. 1. I also place within said bars B B a solid C-shaped metallic block, D, with arms d (I, made to fit snugly around the arrow-headed ends of the coupling-bar, and are designed, in connection with the grooves c c, the hooks G O, the bolts 0 e, and the springs E E, to hold the coupling-bar G, as shown in Fig. 1.

Placed in the space between the springs E E and the overlapped ends of the bars B B is a cam, F, which may be bolted to the drawhead A between the bars B B, Fig. 1, and may be operated from either side of the car by means of the crank H, Figs. 2 and 3, with any suitable leverage, so as to uncouple the cars by spreading the bars 0 G.

The coupling-bar G, Figs. 1, 2, and 3, is a straight metallic bar of proper length, broader than thick, with beveled or rounded sides, and arrow-headed, and having two shoulders, 6, Figs. 1 and 2, the broad sides of the head being gradually depressed from the shoulders to the coupling-bar end 3', and the lateral sides of the head gradually tapering from the shoulders to the end j.

Model) E E, Fig. 1, are two strong spiral springs, placed at right angles to the bars B B. A bolt passes horizontally through a clamp on either side of the draw-head A, and also passing horizontally through the bars B B and the springs E E, and similarly clamped on the opposite side of the draw-head, and properly secured or fastened at both ends. The pressure of the springs E E keeps the bars B B closed, and will automatically relax to receive the coupling-bar when the essential force is applied, and may be relaxed at will by means of the cam F, operated as described. The springs E E automatically accommodate the bars B B to the lateral movement of the cars coupled by my invention while rounding curves in the railroad-track. The inner sides of the bars B B at the grooves o 0 and the arms 01 cl of the C-shaped block D, with the rounded bolts 0 c passing vertically through the draw-head A, v

form a commodious receptacle for the coupling-bar G, and also form a smooth Wall on both sides of the mouth or entrance, which allows the cars to be freely uncoupled by means of the cam F when operated as described. As the coupling-bar enters the draw-head, the head, by pressing against the sides of the hooks O O, forces them apart, and as soon as the head has passed the same it enters the space between the arms d (l, the springs E E throw the bars inward again, which couples the cars, and the block D stops the further passage of the coupling-bar. The mouth or entrance of the draw-head as far as the grooves 0 0 is concave, t t, as shown in Fig. 3.

When the draw-head of one car in which one head of the coupling-bar is fixed is higher than that of another car, as in the case of a loaded car and an empty car which it is desired to couple, such difl'erence of elevation is obviated by slightly spreading the bars B B, in which the bar-head is fixed, by means of the cam F. The grooves 0 0 in thehooksC Okeeping the coupling-bar parallel with the bars B B, the other head of the couplingbar will take a downward direction and strike the lower side of the concave mouth of the draw-head, and will then couple the cars, substantially as described.

A raised brace, K, Fig. 3, cast solid with the upper plate of the draw-head A, is intended to resist the shock of the cars violently meeting and keep the draw-head from being forced out of its proper place.

Pin-holes u u are placed in each end of the coupling-bar, for use in coupling a car supplied with my invention with a car made with the ordinary draw-head.

The ordinary link and pins may be used to couple cars supplied with my invention in case of the want of my coupling-bar; but links are not a complete substitute for my coupling-bar.

My coupler is composed of two parts, the

- second part'formed, like the first with a coupling-bar, as described.

The grooves 0 0 run horizontally the whole I length of the hooks O G and correspond to the rounded or beveled sides of my coupling-bar.

The draw-head A is to be secured to the under side of the floor or platform of the car in place of the ordinary draw-head.

I claim- The arrangement of the draw-head A, the coupling-hers B B, the hooks U G, the bolts 0 e, the grooves 0 0, the springs E E, the cam F, the crank H, with the block D and arms (I d, and the brace K, substantially as described.

JAMES E. MURPHY.

Witnesses:

D. HOLBROOK, SMITH OAsKEY. 

